Fence-post



(No Model.)

5.2. DONALDSON.

FENCE POST.

Patented Dee. 8

4o 1*. drawings, and B designates the foundation or UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. DONALDSON, OF MONTEZMA, INDIANA.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332.141. dated December 3, 1885- Application filed August 28, 1885. Serial No. 175,575. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern- Be it known that I, JOHN E. DONALDsON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montezuma,in the county of Parke and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to improvements in fence-posts, and in vfoundation or base blocks for the same; and the novelty consists in the peculiar construction and combination, ar-

rangement, and adaptation of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

It is the especial object of my invention to provide-1.a substantial and durable fence-post, whichshall be easily and cheaply manufactured and put up for use, which shall be cay pable of permitting the water to run olf, and

thus prevent the post from becoming impregnated with moisture and dampness, which can be easily and very rmly planted in the earth, and which shall be very simple in construc- V tion.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure lis letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the post, preferably cut or formed from a piece of timber to the required shape and dimensions, substantially as shown in the figures of the base block, detachably connected to the post A, as will be presently described, and made in the form shown, and of a suitable earth or clay, which is vitrified, as will be hereinafter fully described.

The base-block B is preferably made rectangular in form, and at its ends the vertical faces thereof are made inclined or sloping, as at b, said vertical inclined ends being joined or extended to projecting ribs or tongues C, arranged at each end of said foundation or base block and on the plane of the under surface thereof, the upper surfaces of said projecting tongues being inclined downwardly and outwardly from the point where they meet the vertical inclined walls b, as shown at c. rllhe upper face or surface of the base has an elevated plane portion, D, of an area equal to the dimensions of the lower end of the post A, or a little larger, on which said post is adapted to rest, said plane portion being arranged at about the midway of the transverse axis there- -of and near one end. The upper surface of said base-block is inclined or sloped downward toward the sides and ends, in all directions from said elevated plane portion D, as shownv at e f. I attach especial importance to this peculiar construction of the sloping faces of the base-block, as by such construction I am enabled to readily and effectively provide for.

the carrying off or discharge of water that may fall thereon, either from rain or other- Wlse.

The base-block is made of any suitable earth or clay and baked,fused, or vitrified by heat4 until itis rendered very hard and durable, said block being formed or shaped in a mold or molds or by any desired means or manner to give it the required dimensions and the shape or form above described. I do not de-,. sire to limit myself to a rectangular base or foundation block, as a circular or square or other shaped block can be employed with perhaps equal advantages, it only being necessary to provide the plane surface for the' post, the lip or tongue C, and the sloping or` inclined surfaces.

The base-block is pianeta or fitted in the* ground so that the surface thereof will come on a line a little below the upper inclined` faces thereof, as shown by the dotted line win Fig. 2. The earth is packed tightly around said block and over the tongues 0 whichl serve to hold the block from becoming easily displaced. 1

By leaving the inclined upper faces of the base-blockabove the surface of the ground the water from rain or otherwise falling thereon will iiow therefrom down such inclined surfaces and the endvwalls and tongues thereof and into theV ground, leaving the wooden post A free from danger of absorbing the water. By reason of the base-block being made of IOO clay or other earth and vitriiied, it is unaffected by the moisture and climate, and is thus rendered very durable and strong.

I will now proceed to describe the manner of connecting and bracing the post to the foundation-block. In the lower edge and under surface of the post is provided a longitudinal bore, h, arranged centrally therein, and with the upper end of such bore a transverse aperture, h, communicates and extends to one of the vertical surfaces of said post. Vithin said longitudinal bore 7L is fitted the upper threaded end of a bolt, H, and on the upper end of such bolt is fitted a nut, z', having a threaded aperture and a serrated or corrugated periphery, as at i', said nut being arranged in the aperture li and adapted to bear' on the under wall thereof to clamp the post tightly and securely in position. The nut 2o may be turned by means of a punch, chisel, or other suitable implement inserted in the aperture h', `which aperture, after the post has been clamped in position, is lled or plugged with a block, as at j, thus wholly concealing 25 the manner of connecting the post to the baseblock. The lower end of the bolt H is fitted inan opening or bore, k, slightly enlarged at its lower end and made flaring, said bolt being arranged vertically therein, and the spaces 'between it and the walls of said opening filled with lead or other substance in a fused or melted state, as at k', which is allowed to cool fr. and solidify, thus firmly and rigidly holding the bolt in position.

I designates a brace-rod, arranged in an inclined position and having its ends bent at an angle, as atm n, and bearing against the post A and block B, respectively, as clearly shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings. Each 4o end of the brace-rod is perforated, and through the aperturein the upper end thereof is passed one end of a teiision-rod, J, which also passes y through the post A, and has its ends threaded, on which are fitted nuts J adapted to bear on opposite sides of said post, the nut on the end which passes through the brace-rod I,bearing on said bent end thereof. The lower end of the brace'rod is secured to the foundation or base block by means a bolt, L, having a nut, Z, 5o bearing on said brace, the lower end of said bolt being secured in an aperture, Z, having tapering. walls, and by means of lead, Z2, in a manner similar to the way in which the bolt H is secured. I-attach importance to the particular manner in which the post is secured and braced to the foundation or base block, as by such .f '1 construction a very secure and rigid connection is provided, which will not be affected 6o by moisture or dampness, which causes the parts to rust and become useless in a short space of time.

`i In order to define the nature of the present invention, I would state that heretofore it has been proposed to construct a fence-post having a foundation or base of stone provided with projecting teeth, which engage the post, and a screw or bolt passing through said baseblock into the post and removably connected thereto,said base-block being further provided 7o with concave portions immediately beneath the post, to permit the water to pass into the same and through the bolt-hole into the earth. This construction is objectionable, for the reason that the post is liable to absorb the water, or a portion of it passing into said concavity and bo1t-hole,and the removable screw or bolt will become loose and not hold the postfirmly. By carrying off the water exteriorly to the post it will not absorb the water or nioisture'. to any degree, and by rigidly securing the connectingbolt to the base-block, as described, and the nut in position therein, the post is; not liable to become loose and move. In the device shown in Fig. `4 the post isf shownadapted for agate-post,in which relation, it possesses the same advantages and can be, employed with equal facility.

Various changes in the form and proportion? i of parts can be made without departing from the principle of my invention, the essential features of which will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in conf nection with the drawings. f 1 i Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a post, of a founvf. dation-block detachably secured to said post, and having a plane portion and downwardlyroo sloping surfaces and projecting tongues C, arranged at each endthereof, substantially as described. A Y

2. The combination, with a fence-post, of a foundation or base block composed of vitrified earth and detachably secured to said post, said block having a plane portion, D, for the. post, downwardly-sloping upper surfaces from, said plane portion to the sides and ends thereof, and projecting tongues C at each sloping end. wall thereof, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a fence-post having a bore and a transverse recess, a base-block, a bolt iitted in an aperture or, hole in said block and rigidly held in position by a ,lead 1 i filling, and a serrated nut fitted in the transverse recess of the post and engaging Y the threaded end of the bolt, to lock saidA baseblock and post together, substantially as def, scribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoingas my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN n. DoNALDsoN. -f

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. Anios, SAMUEL D. HILL. 

